Conduit cap



June 18, 1935. R. G. WHITLOCK ET AL 7 2,004,966

CONDUIT CAP Filed March 7, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENT R6 Lewis 5/70/7B Y 7 mimic/V5 June 18, 1935. R. G. WHITLOCK El AL 2,004,966

CONDUIT CAP Filed March 7, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 18, 1935. R. G.WHITLOCK ET AL I 0 CONDUIT CAP I Filed March '7, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 4[N VENTORS Ba/pb 6. 42177068 B Y A rv/s 5/20 0 v A TTOR NE Y June 18,1935. R. G. WHITLOCK ET AL 2,004,966

CONDUIT CAP Filed March 7, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 [N VENTURE Eo/p/z GW/wf/ock A e wlls fiharp A TTORNEY Patented June 18, 1935 UNITEDSTAT-Es. PATENT i oFFicE f w 2,004,966 I I Ralph G. whiti l i lfi:aisles, in. we;

Sharp, Huntington Park, C'alif., assignors to Federal Foundation, Inc,Las"Vegas,Nev., a

corporation of Nevada Application March'i, 1934. Serial No. 714,538 a 15Claims. (c1. 221400) Our invention relates to closures for containers,and more particularly to a locking cap for the inlet conduit of agasoline storage tank such as used by service stations.

Thepractice of night dumping, "often followed by dishonest servicestation owners and operatorsis thefilling of gasoline'storage'tanks'with cheap gasoline of low quality, thissbeingsold at a high price anddispensed through a pump bearing the brand of a high quality prod.- uct.In alike manner the high quality gasoline contained in such storagetanks is often blended with a quantity of low quality fuel and sold at ahigh price.

An object of our invention is to provide a conduit cap which registersthe number of times the cap is opened so that surreptitious access to astorage tank conduit cannot be had withou't leaving evidence thereof.

Other objects and advantages will be made manifest in thefollowingvdescription taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a semi-diagrammatic, vertical'seci tional'view showing thedevice of ourj'invntio-n in its relation to a'storage tank. 7

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1, the coverbeing open to dis close the parts therebeneath.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 showing the operation ofcertain parts dis: closed therein.

Figs.- 4 and 5 are'fragmentary, verticalsectional views taken on thelines'44 and 5-5 of Fig. 2. I

Figs. Sand 7 are vertical sectional views taken on the lines 66 and '|1of Fig. 2. v

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken'on the line 88 o'f Fig. 6.

Figs.'9' and 10 are "fragmentary views similar to Fig. 8 showing; thesuccessive operative positions of the parts disclosed therein. H j

11 is a vertical sectional view'of a gauge stick for use'with thes'torage'tank shownin Fig. l.

Fig. 12 is a horizontal sectional View takenon the line 12-4201 Fig. 11.

Fig. 1.3 is an enlarged diagrammatic view of a portion of the deviceshownin 4.

Fig. 1a is a vertical sectional view taken on the line |4 |4 of Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a' view similar to Fig. 13 showing another position of theparts disclosed therein.

Referring specifically to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 2 and.6. a c nduit ap 0 oi ur invention includes a conduit I I, an outerhousing I2, an inner housing I3, and a locking and registering mechanismI4;

The conduit extends upward from-anunderground storage tank into asuitable" pit as shown in Fig. -1. j Screwed onto the upper endof theconduit as shown in Fig. 6 is a cap 22 having afshort' tube 23 fixed tothe underside thereon-the purpose of which will be made clearhereinafter. v p

The outer -housing: I2 is cast of metal to provide a vertical wall.;25,a-bottom 26, and a central tubular member 21,;the wall 25 being formedto provide a shoulder 28 at' its-upper edge. Cast integral "with thehousing I2 is a pair of; outward extending apertured ears 29andanapertured lug 30. The tubular member 21 of the housing 1 -I2---isreduced in diameter at its upperend to provide a shoulder 32. Thehousing l2- is-fixed to theupper end of the con- 20 duit I I asshown-inFig. 6 bya-set screw 33, the latter: being threaded into the wall of thetubular member 2'1.. I w a Hinged ,to theears29-of the housing I2 by ahingepin 34 is-a-n. outer cover- 35 having a gasket 36 on the undersidethereof. Mounted on a suitable lugjl un. the-cover 35 is a clamp latch38 eas-shownin Figs; land 2. The latch 38 normally-engages thelug so asto firmly press the cover onto theupper edgeofthe housing I2,-the cover35 being-locked to the housing I 2 by a padlock-inserted through theapertured lug -30.: Formed integra1-- with the cover 35 ad- .iaeent thepivot thereof is a. bifurcated arm 40, the ends of the-latterbeingpinned to a depending rod- M. f The lower end of the rod II 'isoperatively connected .to the stem 42: of a shutoff cock-A3,. the latterbeingmounted in a delivery pipe; :of the storage tank 20 as Shown inFig. -1.. Fixedtotheside wall; 25 of the housing I2 is a housing 45enclosing the rod 41 and the" mechanism attached thereto.

The innerhousing -I-3 includesa castreceptacle-5Il formedrtoprovide abottom 5|, side walls 52 and-a tubular central member 53 as 5 shown in FigV'G. Formed integral with the recept'acle-5Il at each corner thereof,is an apertured boss 54. The receptacle normally rests on theshoulder 32of the member ZI of the housing I2.- The upper'side of the receptacle 5050 is closed bya deck' plate 55, the periphery ofthe latter restingwon asuitable gasket 56 on the shoulder 28 of :the housing I2. Formed at eachcorner of thedeck plate 55, at each corner-thereof,xis a threadedboss51, the latter being aligned with the bosses 54 of the receptacle 50,the deck plate 55 being secured to the receptacle 50 by suitable screws58 which extend upward through the bosses 54 into threaded engagementwith the bosses 51. The receptacle 50 and deck plate 55 thereof arefixed as a unitwithin thehousing I2 bya ring nut 60, the latter beingscrewed onto'the upper end of the tubular member 21 of the housing I2 asshown in Figs. 3 and 6. f

Mounted on the deck plate 55 as shown in Fig. 6 is a combination lock 62having a dial 63, the latter extending upward through a suitable openingin the plate 55, the dial being normally covered by a removable cap 64.The lock 62 has a keeper 65 extending through the tubular member 53 ofthe receptacle 50 into a suitable slot in the tubular member 21 of thehousing I2,

as shown in Fig. 6. Fixed to the underside of the deck plate 55alongside the lock 62 is a counter 66 operatively connected to thekeeper 65' of the lock 62 by an arm 61 asshown in Fig. 8. The counter 66is visible from above the plate 55 through a suitable window shown inFig. 2.

Mounted on the upper side of the deck plate 55, as shown in Figs. 2, 4.and 5, is a pair of semicircular aligned housings 60 and 69 inwhich aninner cover 10 is pivotally mounted, the latter normally preventingaccess to the cap -22 of the conduit II as shown in 'Fig. 6. Pressedinto the cover I0 on the pivotalaxis thereof is a shaft II, the ends ofthe latter extending into the housings 68 and 69. Keyedto the end of theshaft II. within the housing 68 is a ratchetwheel 13. the lower portionof which extends through" a suitable opening in the deck plate 55 intothe receptacle 50. Rotatably mounted on the shaft II adjacent theratchet wheel 13 is a segmental plate 14 as shown in Fig. 13. The plateI4 base. pair of flanges I5 and 16 extending over andconforming with theperiphery of the ratchet wheel 13, these flanges being separated by anopening 11. Fixed to one side of the ratchet wheel 13 is a pin 10 foroperating the plate 14 in a manner to be'described hereinafter. Fixed tothe-underside of the plate 55; as by, screws 80, is a pair of springpawls GI and 02' mounted in radial alignment with the ratchet wheel ,13.

Keyed on the end of the shaft II within the housing 69 is a gear wheel05, thelower portion of the latter extending througha suitable openim inthe deck plate 55.as shown in Fig.0. Mounted on the undersideof the deckplate 55 below the semicircular housing 69 is an L- shaped plate 90.there being an L-shaped slideway 9! formed on the underside oi theplate'55 above the' plate 90 as shown in Figs. 7. 8, and 5. Formedintegral with and extending downward from the plate 90 through asuitable opening provided in the bottom 5I of the receptacle 50 is acylindrical magazine 93 having a nut 94 threaded on the lowerendthereof. Within the magazine 93 is a plurality of annular tokens .0these bein urged upward into the slideway 9| of the plate 55 by acompression spring 91 a relatively thick disc 98 being interposedbetween thespring 91 and the lowermost of the stack oit' token s 96. I y

Formed through the deck plate .55 in vertical ali nment with one endoithe slideway 9| is an opening 9 9 as shown in Fig. 3. this opening beinnormally closed by a pivoted eover I00. Slidable in the slideway 9!between'the L-shaped plate 90 and the deck plate 55 is aplunger I02. thelatter being formed to provide'teeth [03; as

shown in Fig. 7, for engagement with the afore mentioned gear wheel 85.Fixed to the underside of the plunger I 02 and extending downwardthrough suitable slots I M and I05 proyided in the plate 90 are lugs I06and III? as shown in Fig. 8.

Slidable on the underside of the deck, plate 55 beside the plate 90 is abar IIO, one end of the latter having a pin III thereon while theopposite end II 2 of the bar H0 normally extends into the slideway 9I asviewed through the opening 90 of the plate 55 in Fig. 2. Fixed centrallyon the bar IIO isa stop lug II3 positioned to contact a block II I asshown in Fig. 10. The bar 'I I0 is normally urged leftward as viewed inFig. 8 by a spring II5. Pivoted on the underside of the plate 90 is alever II8, oneend of the latter being slotted to receive the pin III ofthe bar I I0 while the other end rests against the lug I06 of theplunger I02.

Screwed to the undersideof the plate 90 in close proximity withthemagazine 93 is a lock 1, there being a keyhole II8 through the plate 55in alignment with the lock II! as shown in Fig. 3. Extendinghorizontally from the look I I1 is an arm II 9 having a downwardextending pin I20 provided thereon. The extremity of the arm- H9 isnormally held in the path-of the lug I01 of the plunger I02 by a springI 2I as seen iniFig. 8. I Mounted on the underside' of the deck plate 55beside the aforementioned counter 66 is a second counter I25 operated bya link I26. The

end of the link I26 opposite the counter "I25 isslotted to receive theaforementioned pin I20 of the arm II9'of the look I". As shown in Fig.8, theslotted end of the link I26 is notched to receive the'lug I01 ofthe plunger I02, the link being urged into contact with the lug I01 byan extension spring I28.

Operation 5 The conduit cap I0 of our invention normally appearsas'shown in Fig. 1 with the cover 35 locked to, the housing I2. To gainaccess to the mouth of the conduit II for the purpose of supplying thestorage tank with gasoline the padlock is, removed and the latch 30disengaged from the lug 30, thus permitting-the cover 3 5 to be openedto the position in which it is shown in Figures 2 and. 4. As the cover35 is opened;

the arm 40 thereof raises the rodM so as to rotate the stem 42 and shutthe cook '43. thus prohibiting the pumping of any gasolinefrom the tank20 during the filling operation.

It'will be noted in Fig. 8 that one ofthe tokens 96, hereinafterdesignated at 9611. is positioned in the slideway 9| midway between themagazine 93 and the opening 99 at the end of the slideway 9|, it. beingalso noted thata portion of. the token 96a is disposed so as to shut oilthe keyhole II8. fromfthe look I".

-After opening the, outer cover 35, the inner cover 10 israised arelatively small amount. This causes the'gear wheel to rotate and theplunger I02 is moved from the position shown in Fig. 8 to the positionin which it is shown in Fig. 9, it being noted that further movement.

of the cover 10 is prevented byengagement of the lug I01 with the endoffthe lock arm'II9.

Fig. 8.

as shown in'FigwQ. As 'theplu'nger I02. startsward' therefrom. Hingedto. the lower end of...

to move in the manner aforedescribed the up-. permost token 96 is pushedofi of the top of the stack of tokens in the magazine 93 by the plungerI02. The token thus advanced in the slideway.

III by the plungerl02 moves thetoken a to the position shown in Fig.. 9so that the aperture of the token aligns withthe keyhole, IIB per.-mitting the insertion of a key intothelock II'I.

It will be noted at this time that the relatively small movement of theinner cover I0. just'described is not sufiicient to permit accessto themouth of the conduit II, it beingalsonoted that after the cover. III hasbeen opened this small amount the spring pawl 82 prevents closing thevcover III by: engaging the teeth of the ratchet wheel '13. The shorttube .23 on the cap 22 prevents the cap irom being' removed until thecover I0 is opened suflicientlyto cause spring pawl 82 to engage theratchet wheel I3. The key is now turned in thelock II'I causing the lockarm H9 and link I26 to be swung to the position in which they are shownin Fig. 10 against the tension of the spring .I2I. As soon as the linkI26 is swung free from the lug I01 the spring I28 returns the link I26to the position shown in Fig. 10; The key is now removed from the lockI.I'I.and the inner cover fully opened as shown in Fig.3, the plungerI02 being advanced to the position shown in Fig. 10, it being noted thatthe token 96a is moved along the slideway into alignment with theopening 99 in the plate 55 .while the following token'96 is advanced tothe aforementioned intermediate position shutting off the keyhole againfrom the look In.

The cap 22 is now removed from the conduit I I and the tank 20 filled inthe usual manner. After filling the tank 20 the cap 22 is replaced andthe token 96a is removed from the 'slideway 9| through the opening 09 bya suitable instrument (not shown) provided therefor. The inner cover I0is then closed and the mechanism -I4 returns' the pawl 82 to move into'en'gagment with the ratchet wheel, thus preventing the opening of thecover I0 after starting to close'the same. As the inner .cover "isclosed the .lock arm H9 swings into the path of the" lug I01 as shown inThe outer cover 35 is now closed and locked and the absence of the token96a in the conduit cap I0 denotes that access has been had to the mouthof the conduit II. A blank form is then filled out by the stationoperator and signed by the operator and tank truck driver stating thenumber of gallons supplied to the storage tank, the time the same wassupplied, etc.

Referring now to Fig. 11, we have shown therein a novel form of gaugedevice I30 to be used on the storage tank 20. The device I30 includes apipe I3I which extends from the tank 20 to the surface of the groundthereabove. Screwed onto the upper end of the pipe I3I. is a cap I32having a pipe I33 extending downthe pipe I33 is a swinging shut-offvalve .Iil. normallyurged to-closed position by a torsion spring I35.Slidable within the pipe I33 is a; gauge stick 'I36formed of metal anglebars I3! and wooden segments I38 as shown; in Fig. 12. The valve I34 isforced open by the stick ISI when desirable to gauge the contents of thetank 20 and swings shut whenthe gauge stick is re.

moved so as to prevent surreptitious filling'ofi the tank through thepipe I33. 1 Althoughwe have shown and described but one form of ourinvention, it is'to be understood. that various changes andmodifications. might be made therein without departing from the spiritof the invention or the scope of the apipended claims. 1 I

We claim as our'invention: I '1. In a conduit cap the combination of: afill pipe; ahead on said pipe; a pipe closure member movably mounted onsaid head'- and havinga position closing said pipe and a posi tionfreeing said pipe to permit access thereto; and means operated bymovement of said clo-' sure and provided on saidhead for discharging atoken for each cycle of actuation of said member to permit access tosaid fill'pi'pe.

2. In a conduit cap the combination of: fa; fill pipe; a head on saidpipe; a pipe closure member movably mounted on said head'and having aposition closing said pipe and a peer: tion freeing said pipe to permitaccess thereto? a magazine for tokens provided on said head; and meansconnected with said member for discharging a token from said magazinetor each actuation of said member to permit access to saidfill pipe. 1

3. In a conduit cap the combination fillpipe; a head on said pipe; apipeclosure member movably mounted on said head and having a positionclosing said pipe and a position freeing said pipe to permit accessthereto; means preventing reversal of directionof movement of saidclosure member either during an opening movement or a closing movementthere of; a counter actuated by saidmember counting the number of cyclesof operation performed by said closure member; a magazine for tokensprovided on said head; and means connected with'said member fordischarging a token irom said magazine for each actuation of said mom-'her to permit access to said fill pipe.

i. In a conduit cap the combination of: a fill pipe; a head on saidpipe; a pipe closure member movably mounted on said head and having aposition closing said pipe and a position freeing saidpipe to permitaccess thereto;

ing movement thereof or a closing movement. 6-

thereof; lock means for locking said closure member in closed position;a token magazine on said head, said lock means permi ti l 2.initialopenin'g movement of said closure mom-1 ber and said non-reversemeans holding said (310: sure member thus partially open; and meansprovided on said head and actuated by said closure member in eachcomplete opening and closing operation to position a token in sealingrelation with said lock means, said token positioning means feeding saidtoken away from sealing relation with said lock means incidental to saidinitial opening movement of said closure member, said token feedingmeans, after the unlocking of said lock means, being actuated opened topermit access to said inlet passage;

by'; further" movement of said closure member passage; means preventingthe closing of said inner cover after'it has been opened to its minimumposition until it has been entirely and means actuated by said innercover during each cycle of opening and closing to deliver a token: intoa position where it may be taken up by the operator.

' I 6. In a, conduit cap the combination of: a

housing onsaid conduit; a cover on said housing to close the mouth ofsaid conduit; a lock within said housing tolock said cover over themouth ofsaid conduit, said cover being slightly movable while in lockedposition; a token magazine in" said housing; means for conveying a tokenfrom said magazine to said lock, said token being normally disposed toprevent'actuation of saidlock; means responsive to a slight -movement ofsaid door to shift said token to permit actuation of said lock; andmeans responsive' to further movement of said door to furthermove saidtoken to permit removal of said token from said housing.

73A combination as in claim 6 in which ratchet means is provided toprevent closing said door afterstartin'g to open it until said door isentirely opened. e

8. A combination as in claim 6 in which ratchet means is provided toprevent closing said door after starting to open it until said door isentirely opened, said ratchet means also preventing opening said doorafter starting to close it until said door is entirely closed.

p -9. A combination as in claim 6 in which a plurality of" tokens isprovided in said magazine, each of said tokens being individually markedto distinguish it from the others.

r 10; In a conduit cap the combination of: a

' housing on said conduit; a cover on said housing to clo se the mouthof said conduit; a key look within said housing to lock said cover overthe mouth of said conduit, said cover being slightly movable while inlocked position, said housing 1 having a keyhole in a wallthereoftopermit insertion of a key into said look; a token magaz 'in e withinsaidhousing; a token slideway extending from said magazine to a pointbetween said lock andsaid housing, one ofsaid tokens being normallypositioned in said slidewaybe-v tween said lock and the upper wall ofsaid housing, .said keyhole being shut ofi from said look by saidtokenpmeans responsive to a. slight movement of said door to shift saidtoken in said slideway, topermit insertion of a key into cover untilsaid token is removed from said housing; I

12.- In a conduit cap the combination of: a head having an inletpassage; a coverfor said passage, said cover having movement on said.

head between passage closing and passage open-' ing positions; a lockfor lockingsaid cover against being moved more than a relatively smalldistance from said passage closing position to a partially openedposition in which said cover still denies access to said passage; meansoperatively connected to said cover for preventing access to saidlockwhenv saidcover is in completely closed position, said means beingactuated by said cover to permit'access to said lock when said cover hasbeen moved to said partially open position; and means automatically.preventing the return'of said cover from partially open position toclosed position until said cover has been entirely opened.

13. In a conduitcap the :combinationof: a head having. an inlet passage;a cover for said passage said cover having. movement onsaid head betweenpassage closing and passage opening positions a lock for locking saidcover against being moved more than a relatively small distance fromsaid passage closing position to a partially opened position in whichsaid cover still denies access to said passage; means operativelyconnected to said cover for preventing access to said lock when saidcover is in completely closed position; said means being actuated bysaid cover to permit access to saidlock when said cover has been movedto said partially open position; a counter; and means for actuating saidcounter each time said cover isjmoved from closed position to saidpartially openposition.

14. In a gasoline storagesystem, the combination of: a closed storagereservoir having an upper wall; means for discharging liquid into saidreservoir; means for removing liquid from said reservoir; a pipe tightlyfitted into said upper wall and extending downward into said reservoir;a liquid trap on the lower end offsaid pipe; yieldable means for closingsaid trap excepting when a relatively strong pressure is exerteddownwardly thereagainst; and a measuring stick disposed in said pipe andadapted toforce said trap open and extend into said reservoir, and thenbe withdrawn" therefrom to measure the contents of said reservoir; Y t

15. A combination I as in claim 2 in which means is provided forpreventing a complete cycle of operation of said pipe closure memberwhen the supply of tokens-in said magazine is exhausted. RALPH G.WHITLOCK. LEWIS SHARP.

